Do you have photos of Mrs Smith’s Cottage from days gone by, or memories about her or her home you’d like to share?
Earlier this year North Kesteven District Council was successful in securing money from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), the largest heritage funder in the UK, to help bring the Navenby tourist attraction, which has been closed to the public since 2013, back into use.
As part of the project, the Council wants to create an exhibition of photographs and memories of the cottage and is calling on the public’s help to do so.
Anyone who has anything they’d like to submit – a photo taken from a family visit to the museum or a memory of a trip to discover what life for Mrs Smith was like, for example – can email [email protected] or call 01529 414155 to find out where to drop them off.
Ultimately, the collection will form an exhibition in the future but also create a memory log online, helping to bring the cottage’s history to life.
Mrs Smith’s Cottage is a preserved example of a simple, early Victorian, Lincolnshire cottage and closed in early 2013 after a routine structural survey identified problems.
The majority of the funding for its restoration will come from the HLF, thanks to National Lottery Players.
The Council has received permission to start the works, and, in the first phase, the roof will need to be completely removed to establish the extent of the damage and discover what is required to make the cottage structurally safe once again.
It is anticipated the restoration will continue for the next three years, with a re-opening in 2019.